1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sprayer extension device to be used with a spray container so as to provide for effective, controllable, and manageable dispensing of a fluid content of the spray container at a remote, hard to reach location.
The present invention further relates to a storm shutter lubrication assembly structured to provide effective, accurate, and manageable lubrication of a guide track of a shutter assembly located in a hard to reach position and orientation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Aerosol type spray containers are commonly and frequently implemented in a variety of household and industrial uses, and can contain a variety of fluids therein such as bug sprays, paints, and lubricants. While providing many conveniences, it has long been recognized that a significant problem associated with the use of conventional sprayer containers relates to their inability to reach out of the way locations, and especially elevated locations. In an attempt to solve this common problem, numerous devices have been provided in the related art. These devices, however, such as the handle assembly of Smart (U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,202), the spray can control apparatus of Betore et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,959), the spray work tool of Yoshitomi (U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,191), and the extension spray device of Offutt (U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,000), which are very similar with one another, while providing more accessibility to the out of the way locations, still do not provide an effective and easy to use device. In particular, the primary feature that all of these prior art inventions have in common relates to the positioning of the sprayer can at a distal most end of an elongate segment. As such, each of these devices requires the configuration of an elaborate, long range triggering mechanism which will actuate the sprayer nozzle from a substantial distance away. Accordingly, the structure and function of these known sprayer devices of the related art is to permit a user to hold the spray can somewhat close to the location to be sprayed, while the user controls the spray from a remote position. Such an approach and product configuration, however, is quite difficult to utilize effectively as it is substantially top heavy, placing all of the weight of the spray can at the end of an elongate rod and requiring that the user hold up the can from an opposite end of the pole. Naturally, if the person attempting to utilize the device does not have very strong hands and/or arms, if can be quite difficult to position the can to effectively spray. Further, in many job situations such as during the lubrication of storm shutters, the spray can must be precisely maneuvered and/or held in place and sprayed for an extended period of time, making it very difficult to hold and properly orient the spray, even for stronger individuals. Moreover, if a user must have one hand free, such as to open and close doors, windows, or shutters, the unbalanced weight distribution makes such known, top heavy assemblies difficult to use.
Turning to the art relating to the maintenance and lubrication of storm shutters, and in particular, accordion and bahama type storm shutters, it tends to be a very specialized art that often requires special technicians with special equipment. Still, one primary difficulty associated with the maintenance of these types of storm shutters, which remains despite all of the specialized techniques, involves the need to maintain upper and lower tracks of the shutters lubricated. In particular, if the shutters are not lubricated on a regular basis they can corrode/oxidize in an open orientation, or otherwise become difficult to close, such that in an emergency situation a user may not be able to shut them. Usually, the storm shutters, which are positioned on an exterior of a building, are found in very elevated, out of the way locations. Accordingly, most users find it very difficult to lubricate the shutters themselves, thereby requiring that a technician be called in. Nevertheless, even the technician must often struggle to appropriately and effectively lubricate the exterior tracks. For example, in homes or other two story buildings, the technician will generally need to utilize a ladder to climb up to the storm shutter from an exterior of the structure, and in very high, multi-story locations, such as in large buildings, the technician must precariously lean out the window and attempt to reach as high as they can. As can be expected, utilizing a ladder to reach the elevated location severely limits the range of movement a technician can reach in one location, and it can be quite dangerous if the technician seeks to stretch out and lubricate a greater area than is safely accessible from the ladder's current position. Moreover, leaning out of an elevated window, especially leaning up to an elevated, hard to reach location, can be very dangerous and naturally detracts from the concentration and care required to focus the lubricant spray within the track rather than on the walls and remaining portions of the storm shutter. As such, effective maintenance of these storm shutters can be quite expensive as it is generally impractical for an individual to lubricate the track themselves. Further, both private consumers and technicians who attempt to use the previously recited extension devices, experience substantial difficulties as they must lean the entire extension apparatus out the window and hold the heavy can precariously on the distal end of the extension.
A further drawback associated with the spray can control devices of the related art, relates to their inability to precisely focus the spraying where necessary. Generally, most triggering extension devices require large and often complicated devices to provide for appropriate holding of the spray can and actuation of its nozzle. Therefore, those devices are not easily adaptable to spray into corners, or tight locations, such as within a shutter track. In fact, this is a problem associated with the use of spray cans in a conventional fashion, and as such, has lead to the development of devices such as those recited in the patents to Palmert et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,750), Beres et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,838), and Berriochoa (U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,600). Such devices place the can in a special receptacle or container and provide an elongate flexible hose which can be more conveniently held and manipulated by a user. Unfortunately, however, such devices do not facilitate efficient and effective spraying in an out of the way locations, as their reach distance is limited by the distance to which a user can extend their arm in order to properly position the end of the flexible hose.
There is accordingly, substantial need in the art for an effective spray can extension device which can appropriately utilize conventional spray cans in order to provide for effective, accurate, safe and convenient to implement spraying at a remote location. Additionally, there is a need in the art relating to the maintenance and repair of storm shutters, such as built-in accordion or bahama type shutters, to provide an assembly which enables a worker to utilize conventionally implemented lubricants in a safe, efficient and effective way by ensuring that the lubricant spray is focused within the tracks, and by minimizing the difficulties associated with holding the can near the location to be sprayed for effectively lubricating the entire track portion and wheel assembly.